A 2003 state law that excluded local referendums from provisional ballots, has opponents of the Crescent City Connection tolls wondering if the Nov. 6 results could have gone their way, The Lens reports. The story said 1,450 provisional ballots were accepted in Jefferson, Orleans and Plaquemines parishes, where voters considered the issue. The votes to renew the tolls came ahead by a mere 16 votes.

In other Jefferson Parish-related headlines:

Wednesday's hearing on River Birch landfill executive Dominick Fazzio's motion to dismiss his charges gathered plenty of coverage. Fazzio alleged prosecutorial misconduct in asking U.S. District Court Ginger Berrigan to throw out the government's accusations that he and co-defendant Mark Titus engaged in a fraud scheme. Nola.com's coverage of the hearing and the River Birch investigation is available here. Fazzio's attorney, Arthur "Buddy" Lemann, said the case against his client "was all to rush into an indictment to try and ensnare Fazzio to deliver Heebe," WWL-TV reported. At the center of Wednesday's hearing was Titus' assertion that prosecutors violated a "gentlemen's agreement" not to go after Titus' properties in exchange for his cooperation. His attorney, Jimmy Ardoin, explained to WVUE-TV that Titus "received assurances that were not written, that there was an agreement not to take any of his property." Prosecutors said there was no "gentlemen's agreement" with Titus.

Jefferson Parish's is delving into its reserves to propose a balanced 2013 budget, and that's reducing the money set aside to make potential repayments to the emergency loans received after Hurricane Katrina. Here's The Advocate report on the issue.

Chef Paul Prudhomme's "Magic Seasoning" company, located in Harahan,
was highlighted by the Southern United States Trade Association as a
model for small firms seeking to grow their exports, reports WDSU.